That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; translate, in the name, not at (comp. Isaiah 45:23, quoted in Romans 14:10, Romans 14:11). The words may mean, either that all prayer must be offered to God in the name of Jesus, through his mediation; or that all creation must offer prayer to him.
Both alternatives are true, and perhaps both are covered by the words; but the second seems to be principally intended (comp. Psalms 63:4, "I will lift up my hands in thy Name." Comp. also (in the Greek) Psalms 43:1-5 :9; Psalms 104:3; 1 Kings 8:44; also the common Septuagint phrase, ἐπικαλεῖσθαι ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου).
Observe, the words are, not "the name Jesus," but "the name of Jesus;" the name, that is, which God freely gave to him (1 Kings 8:9), It is the name which is above every name, that is, the majesty, the glory of Jesus, which is to be the object of Christian worship.
The end of the whole passage being the exaltation of Jesus, it seems more natural to understand this verse of worship paid to Jesus than of worship offered through him to God the Father. Observe also that the words (Isaiah 45:23) on which this passage is formed are the words of Jehovah: "Unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."
They could not be used without impiety of any but God. Of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. Perhaps the angels, the living, and the dead; or, more probably (comp. Revelation 5:13 and Ephesians 1:21, Ephesians 1:22), all creation, animate and inanimate, is represented as uniting in the universal adoration.